


being safe is harder than it looks

by thundersandrains



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Light Angst, M/M, Major Character Injury, Natural Disasters, Short One Shot, Special Forces! Ateez, Special Forces!Wooyoung, Special Forces!Yunho, Yunho/Wooyoung - Freeform, yunwoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29583270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thundersandrains/pseuds/thundersandrains
Summary: "Stay alive, Wooyoung." Yunho begged. They were so close. "Stay alive for me, please."
Relationships: Jeong Yunho/Jung Wooyoung, Yunho/ Wooyoung
Kudos: 21





	being safe is harder than it looks

**Author's Note:**

> Song to read with:  
> [Horizon by ATEEZ](https://open.spotify.com/track/7aq8t9D82PJuqH7TFT4W6O?si=CX5-kVdxQiqw_6qqNTqV4A&utm_source=copy-link)

"Yunho!"

His feet were running before his mind realized what he was doing. He sprinted before his chest breathed shallow and fast inhales, trying to keep up with the energy his body burned as he ran. He curled and bowed, stepped and moved with light, controlled movements while he tried to locate them. His eyes finally landed on San waving at him frantically, then quickly diverting his gaze towards the lying body on the floor.

Yunho cursed when he almost tripped from the uneven pavement, but his feet carefully but quickly stepped on the stones and ruined walls as he tried to approach them, dodging a few live wires and metal poking through cement.

It had been a rough early morning, a loud and annoying alarm that made the Special Forces AteeZ jerk awake and quickly put on their protective gear as the country shook everyone else awake. It was a hell of an earthquake, made their vehicle shake and wobble as they dodged the fallen posts and debris and buildings to try and help the people stuck within the condominium helplessly fall forward over a nearby school. The other teams were dispatched onto other less dangerous spots, but this certain building is so close to falling apart that it needs a much more experienced team to handle the case.

The worst one is over, but it doesn't mean it gets easier.

There will always be smaller quakes after the big ones, and Yunho and the rest of the team were able to evacuate as many people as they could and lead them through the safest way out. Hongjoong was able to clear that most of the spaces are empty already, Yunho was about to move out, until San paged everyone else, basically screaming through the radio that one member had been severely injured.

Yunho stumbled as fast as he could to reach them, but it appears that it was way worse than he could ever hoped for.

Seonghwa was already there, he can see him hurriedly trying to stop the bleeding from getting worse, pressing down hard on the body's side to prevent it from bleeding faster. San slapped the body's face gently, trying to keep him awake as he helped Seonghwa to provide the tools he was too far to reach or the materials he ran out. But when Yunho saw the amount of cloth they had used already, he can see that whatever it was Seonghwa was doing, it wasn't working.

Yunho took one last big stride before he was able to approach the three, swinging his bag to his side as he crouched down beside San, and across Seonghwa. He refused to look at the body's bloodied face, afraid to lose his self-control once his eyes landed on him.

"A sharp metal stabbed his side, and it was too deep." San panted, hands still slapping the body awake. "Thankfully, Seonghwa was near but it was just too much."

Yunho saw the wound when Seonghwa replaced the blood-soaked cloth, and it was a very deep cut that almost went through his back. It was as big as Yunho's palm and it was bleeding heavily under Seonghwa's hands.

"He had lost a lot of blood already from what I saw before I got here." Seonghwa said, pressing hard on the wound, making the body flinch.

Yunho was already searching through his pack for disinfectants and kits while wrecking his brains out on whatever it is he can do to save him. He saw needles and thread from the outer pockets of his bag, then silently thanked Mingi for annoying the fuck out of him to thread it already to the needle, because with Yunho's now shaking hands and Seonghwa's bloodies hands, it would take them forever before they can shoot it through the mini hole.

He looked up at Seonghwa who was staring at him with wide eyes, quietly trying to stop him from doing whatever it is he was thinking. "Yunho, it's too risky."

He heard the body coughing uncomfortably and wincing with Seonghwa's heavy hands on the wound, and Yunho suddenly looked at him.

And he shouldn't have.

Because there laid a bloodied Wooyoung, eyes clenched tight and teeth chattering in pain, trying to keep in the screams by hissing and cursing under his ragged breath. Yunho felt his muscles tense at the sight of him, his hands freezing at how Wooyoung was scratched and wounded all over with another cloth wrapped around his other arm (and by seeing how it was all neatly tied with a ribbon on top, he knew it was San's doing).

He suddenly felt the needle in his hands slipping from his fingers, and even though he managed to salvage it from falling, he knew that it is indeed too risky to stitch him up here, or else he could either die from infection before he can bleed to death.

Yunho faced the frazzled San, who was still trying to keep Wooyoung from closing his eyes. "What happened?"

"I heard him scream, and when I was able to find him, he was already on the floor bleeding out. I assume the pole beside him was the culprit when the aftershocks happened. Seonghwa came while I was trying to stop the bleeding, he took over and I banded his broken wrist." San answered like he was reciting a paragraph he has memorized for an exam. "I called for anyone to come and help because there is no way we can fix him up while all this debris is about to collapse above us."

He shifted his gaze to Seonghwa who was looking at him, face firm but eyes gentle and caring, as if he can read Yunho's thoughts and can understand his dilemmas. 

As much as he wanted to break in here and scream at Wooyoung, time is running. The land they are staying on might be stable, but the debris around them could collapse at any second.

"Do the others know we're here?" He muttered as his fingers fumbled to try and get the clean cloth he had kept inside his bag. He was trying to gather all his thoughts while keeping himself calm, but anyone can tell that he is not doing a very good job at it.

"I paged him just after Seonghwa came." San answered for him, not even sparing Yunho a glance. "He said this part is stable enough, but it wouldn't be easy for someone from outside to come in here."

If somebody could hear Yunho's heart drop, he would pretend it wasn't his.

Because if Hongjoong said it wouldn't be easy to get here, it would take them at least two hours before someone can help them get out of here. 

That made Yunho grab his radio from his side and pressed the first button. "Where are the rest?"

A static came before hearing Hongjoong's voice. "Everyone is here. We are trying to get in the same way, but it would take a lot more time to lead them to where you are."

The three of them hissed and cursed under their breaths, and Yunho helplessly looked at Wooyoung who was so close from losing his consciousness.

"We can't stop the bleeding. We can't stitch him up here and we aren't getting any help within the next hour. He'd be dead by then." San said, and all of them knew this.

Wooyoung is the biggest idiot out of the eight of them, but he is the best in working under pressure. He was the one who was able to locate the victims faster than anyone else, instructing the rest of the team to help him to get them out before another aftershock happened. He knew the ins and outs of the buildings (being an engineering student did help out a lot) and knew where would be the safest routes after looking at the area once, making the rest of their job easier to manage. He is the best at snapping people awake and focused and gathering their senses, and he is the best in cheering others up when it seems like all their options aren't going to work. 

Yunho hated to admit the fact out loud that Wooyoung does make their jobs easier to handle, since Wooyoung won't let him see the end of it. Yunho is great at everything he does too, clean, fast and organized, but due to his physique, he is slower than Wooyoung and a lot harder to squeeze in between cracks and holes. Wooyoung is lighter and faster, therefore Yunho will be assigned to lead the others out as Wooyoung would try and get in further to look for other casualties, making it a lot more dangerous.

As much as Yunho trusted his partner with the type of work that they do, he can't help but worry for him every single time a tragedy strikes and the country needs their help.

Wooyoung works the best under pressure, therefore completely forgetting his own safety in exchange for others. 

Yunho doesn't want Wooyoung to end this way. He doesn't want their relationship to go to waste just because Wooyoung was stupid (it wasn't stupid, everyone knows that) enough to stab himself with an innocent pole. He doesn't want to let him bleed to death in the middle of a worn out building, because he wants to personally end him with his bare hands for making him worry.

So, no. Yunho won't let him die in here.

What other way can they do to not let him bleed to death on the concrete? What other way can they do to not let Wooyoung die before Yunho can-

"We'll get him out of here." Yunho voiced out.

San and Seonghwa face him so fast it can break their necks, looking at him in surprise and disbelief. He can also see Wooyoung lift his head slightly to look at him like he was crazy before he grimaced in pain and dropped his head back, groaning and hissing.

"What?!" Seonghwa demanded, but Yunho shifted his gaze at Wooyoung's wound before he could see his reaction. 

"We'll get him out of here." Yunho repeated, taking the new cloth from his pack and shoved it to Seonghwa. "Tie him up tight and we'll carry him out."

"Are you fucking crazy?!" San hissed, the slap he gave Wooyoung came out harder than he intended, making the other flinch.

"Leave me here. It's safer if you go out by yourselves and leave me here-" Wooyoung tried to say but Yunho cut him off.

"I'm sorry but keep your mouth fucking shut because I will personally kill you after we get you out of here. Don't worry, you'll be dead soon, I'll just prolong it a little more." Yunho glared at Wooyoung, but he only saw the sharp breath Wooyoung took when Seonghwa pressed on harder at his wound. 

"We have no other choice." Yunho went back to the others. "We can't stitch him up, and we also can't wait for the others to come. He'll be dead by then!" Yunho was desperate to keep him alive, and even if it is risky and dangerous, this was the only option they have left.

"Still! We can't carry him all wounded through all this debris!" Seonghwa answered back, making Yunho exhale the breath he didn't realize he was holding in. "Let's just try to stop-"

"He's already infected." Yunho flatly said, pointing at the wound. "It's swelling and the colors are not right. You can't clearly see it from all the blood, but when you switched the clothes, I saw how bad his wound already is."

Seonghwa paused to stare at Yunho, and he slowly lifted his hands from Wooyoung's side, and there he saw how the wound is starting to look far different from what it's supposed to look like. Seonghwa's eyes widened at the sight, and when San peeked at it, he almost gagged and nodded quickly at Yunho while covering his mouth.

Seonghwa sighed and turned to face Yunho and asked, "What are we going to do?"

"Tie him up to keep the pressure on it. At least we can slow down the bleeding while we transfer him." Yunho shut his pack close and tossed it over to San. "Page Hongjoong to get the medics ready. We have lost way too much time already, we can't waste a second more."

San nodded and stood, Yunho quickly replaced him and for the first time that day, he took Wooyoung's face in his hands and shook him awake. Wooyoung groaned, but he opened his eyes and smiled as much as he could to Yunho. 

"There you are, my hero." he chuckled, but flinched. "I thought you were going to last without looking at my precious face."

"Shut up. I told you to be safe." Yunho saw the twist in Wooyoung's face when Seonghwa lifted him slightly and passed the long piece of cloth around his body. "I told you to check everything."

"I was safe until the motherfucker stabbed me."

"That motherfucker doesn't have brains, and now that you are lying here all bloody, I am convinced you don't have one, too."

Wooyoung laughed, well, attempted to before he coughed and winced.

"Try to keep yourself awake." Yunho said, noticed how Swonghwa was tying the band already and nodded at him. "We are going to get you out of here."

"Or you could just leave me here-"

"I already told you what I'm going to do with you after we get you out. I'll kill you." Yunho spat, and he could faintly see Wooyoung smile.

"I was worried for you, too," he said, making Yunho weak in the knees.

But he can't afford to go all soft now. He needed to get him out here alive.

Seonghwa helped him to get the cursing Wooyoung onto Yunho's back, adjusting him carefully to make sure he had a firm grip on him. 

"Ready?" San questioned, and the rest nodded.

San took Yunho's pack and led them out while Seonghwa stayed behind Yunho for extra precautions and to check up on Wooyoung.

It was hard to get out through the broken walls and ceilings, much more when you're carrying an injured on your back. Yunho stumbled and tripped, but thankfully, San would have his grip on Yunho's arm tight before he could fall, and Seonghwa aiding Wooyoung behind hin to prevent him from slipping off. San would help Yunho from hitting his head from the cracks and from hitting live wires, and Seonghwa would question Wooyoung to stop him from sleeping.

As they went on their slow path out, Yunho could sometimes feel Wooyoung get heavier, and those were the small signs Yunho used to try and hide his desperation to keep him awake by fixing Wooyoung's position on his back.

"Motherfucker, that hurts." Wooyoung grunted when Yunho almost lost his footing as they went further down.

"Motherfucker, it wouldn't hurt if you were careful enough and listened to me." Yunho whispered back, trying to remember the path that leads them out.

"We are nearing the exit. But the steps leading there would be hell. It's the most dangerous part yet, so be careful." Yunho heard Seonghwa from behind, and San nodded, slowing his pace to hold on to Yunho as the bricks and debris became harder and sharper to step on. 

He propped Wooyoung up once more, making him hiss in pain, and Yunho kept a smirk in, pleased with himself to hear Wooyoung still alive enough to curse behind him.

Sure enough, the path nearing the exit was a lot challenging to walk on. Yunho stumbled more there compared to the paths they went through before this one, and he heard Wooyoung scream once when they almost fell and Yunho's hands desperately grabbed onto his back, unintentionally hitting Wooyoung's stab wound.

"Sorry." Yunho whispered in Wooyoung's ear, which was an inch away from his face. "A couple steps more and we are out of here-"

The ground beneath them shook, making stones and loose cement fall over them, and Yunho panicked.

"Aftershock!" He heard Seonghwa scream, and San pulled him. 

The ground shook much less than the actual earthquake, but it was enough for the building to slowly collapse and make everything fall apart. Yunho gripped on to Wooyoung harder, and even if it made the other flinch, he didn't pay attention to it.

He refused to lose Wooyoung. He refused to let him die in a tragedy they were all trained for to protect and aid.

His instincts told him to hold on tight and run.

San led the way, since Yunho did not trust his eyes as they weaved through. He let San's grip support him as they dodged and ran, Seonghwa's arms protecting Wooyoung from getting hit by the falling debris. Wooyoung breathed heavily against his back, and Yunho knew he was about to lose consciousness.

"Stay alive, Wooyoung." Yunho begged. They were so close. "Stay alive for me, please."

He could see the rest of the team screaming at them, waving and gesturing them to bs faster, but Yunho couldn't hear a thing, except for the loud and fast pounds of his heart and the deep breathing Wooyoung did. He could see medic for Wooyoung ready outside even when the ground still shook, he could see the rocks still falling on them, he could feel San's grip and his mouth moving, and he could feel Seonghwa's heavy hand on Wooyoung's back. 

"Keep us alive, Yunho." he felt Wooyoung breath against his neck, and hearing that gave Yunho the push to stomp and run faster.

They were so close.

The exit was so close.

The ground stopped shaking, but that doesn't guarantee their safety.

San was the first one out.

Yunho broke through the light, but his knees were weak under him, and with the extra person behind him, they fell forward.

Were they able to reach the exit, or was it the heavens he saw?

He kept his eyes closed as he braced himself for the impact, but more hands gripped his shoulders before his face met the ground. The weight on his back was relieved almost immediately, and he jerked his eyes open.

_Wooyoung._

He looked back to look for Wooyoung, but all he saw was debris and soil, and something that looked like a broken exit they ran through.

He saw figures from the corner of his eye, and amongst them all, he saw a pained Wooyoung laying on a cot, carried quickly by medics and aiding him as they brought him away to a safer spot.

And despite all, he saw the world slow down when he saw Wooyoung turned his head in his direction, smiling softly and mouthed, 'Thank you.'

Yunho felt his chest lighten up, breathing easier and relieved. He fell on his back, facing the harsh sun, and smiled, despite all.

He could feel pats and nudges his team gave him, but he numbed them out.

Wooyoung is alive.

Wooyoung is okay.

_"Keep yourself safe, okay?" Yunho patted Wooyoung on the chest as Mingi drove them off to the location they were dispatched to._

_"Fuck off, you know I can take care of myself."_

_"We both know that's a lie."_

_Wooyoung puffed as he strapped on his pack. "Just- keep yourself safe, too."_

_"I will." Yunho chuckled at him, then pressed a kiss on Wooyoung's temple. "Don't be an idiot."_

_"You love this idiot." Wooyoung stuck his tongue out at him._

_"Unfortunately, I do." Yunho sighed, and Wooyoung smacked his shoulder._

_Yunho pressed his forehead on his, before giving him a peck on the lips. "Stay alert. Stay safe. Stay alive." he whispered, and Wooyoung nodded._

_"Stay alert, stay safe, stay alive." Wooyoung whispered back._

__


End file.
